Heavyweight boxing

FILIP HRGOVIC said Anthony Joshua was a “beast” until he “started to box too much”. AJ was beaten for the first time in June 2019, losing in round seven to Andy Ruiz Jr after four knockdowns.
Filip Hrgovic said Anthony Joshua was a ‘beast’ until he ‘started to box too much’Credit: Getty
Anthony Joshua is set for a boxing return in AprilCredit: Getty
But he reformed his style to outbox Ruiz, 33, in their Saudi Arabia rematch six months later.
Although the same tactics saw him twice lose to Oleksandr Usyk, 36, leaving Joshua, 33, in a must-win return fight this year.
Unbeaten contender Hrgovic, 30, is one of the opponents linked with AJ and the Croatian had a brutal assessment of the Brit.
He told Tru School Sports: “I’m careful not to learn too much and become something that I’m not, take away my advantages.
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“I think that happened to Anthony Joshua. He was a beast.
“He was a knockout artist and then he started to learn too much about boxing and he started to box too much, overthinking.” 
Hrgovic narrowly beat Zhang Zhilei, 39, on the undercard of Joshua’s rematch defeat to Usyk in August.
And he is one of the emerging candidates to welcome AJ back to the ring on his proposed April 1 comeback fight.
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But as revealed by SunSport, American Jermaine Franklin, 29, is leading the race.
Franklin was beaten by Dillian Whyte, 34, in November which was a disputed decision Joshua was ringside for.
Southpaws Otto Wallin, 30, and Demsey McKean, 32, who are both ex-sparring partners of AJ’s, are also named in the list.
Dillian Whyte beat Jermaine Franklin in a disputed decisionCredit: Getty More

TYSON FURY has hit back after Oleksandr Usyk’s “pathetic” callout and responded: “I’m coming for you.” The pair of unbeaten champions are in talks for a historic undisputed title decider this year.
Tyson Fury has hit back after Oleksandr Usyk’s ‘pathetic’ calloutCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
Oleksandr Usyk calling Tyson Fury out online
But no deal has yet been agreed, much to the frustration of Usyk, who called Fury “belly” and tweeted: “Where are you?”
It did not take long for a response, as Fury replied: “Usyk, calling out the Gypsy King with your pathetic little callouts, dosser.
“Rabbit, I’m coming for you rabbit. You’re getting it rabbit. And I’ll tell you what else, I’m going to bust you up real bad you little middleweight.
“I’m going to slap you into a big pile of tattoos, sucker.”
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Never in heavyweight history have all four belts been contested for.
And such is the magnitude of of the title unification, the Middle East have emerged as frontrunners to offer millions to host.
But Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum warned attention will switch to London if the lucrative deal is not tabled.
Arum told BoxingScene: “Everybody agreed that if [Saudi Arabia’s] offer comes through and it’s real, that’s how we’ll go.
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“If not, we’ll do the fight at Wembley.”
Usyk, 36, beat Anthony Joshua, 33, twice to win and retain the WBA, IBF and WBO titles.
And he travelled to Tottenham in December to watch Fury, 34, defend his WBC belt against Derek Chisora, 38, in ten one-sided rounds.
He filled out almost 60,000 seats, taking his ticket sales to over 150,000 in 2022 after knocking out Dillian Whyte, 34, at Wembley last April.
And Arum argues if the super-fight against Usyk is taken to England, Fury should be rewarded for his box office appeal.
He said: “The fighters have agreed to fight.
I’m going to bust you up real bad you little middleweight. I’m going to slap you into a big pile of tattoos, sucker.Tyson Fury to Oleksandr Usyk
“I spoke to Frank Warren. We’re giving them until [this] week to come with their offer, which I believe we’ll get.
“If we don’t, then we’re gonna do the fight at Wembley. And then we’d have to talk about the percentages because Usyk wants 50-50.
“That’s not right if the fight’s at Wembley because there will be 95,000 Brits at the fight and big Brit pay-per-view money, so Tyson deserves the lion’s share.
“But we don’t get to that point if the [investors in Saudi Arabia] come through, because the way they operate is they make deals with each of the fighters.
“We’ve been led to believe that they’re going to come with a proposal [this] week.
“I’ll believe it when I see it, but it’s not like they haven’t come through in the past.”
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Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk squaring up in DecemberCredit: Reuters More

ROY JONES JR has backed Anthony Joshua to become “dangerous” again after linking up with coach Derrick James. Joshua is set to announce trainer of the year candidate James as his new cornerman ahead of his scheduled boxing return in April.
Anthony Joshua training in TexasCredit: Instagram / @anthonyjoshua
Roy Jones Jr pictured with Chris Eubank JrCredit: Instagram / @chriseubankjr
The Texan mastermind has led Errol Spence Jr, 32, to unified welterweight titles and Jermell Charlo, 32, to undisputed light-middleweight glory.
And boxing legend Jones, 54, believes it is the kind of form that can steer Joshua, 33, back to his brutal best.
He told Vegas Insider: “Derrick James is a great trainer, he’s doing great things with Errol Spence, he’s achieving more than people ever thought he would, so I think James will be a great trainer, that’s why I told him if the chemistry is good he should stick with it.
“I think James is the right man for the job and can help Joshua with his confidence and his game.
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“The way that Spence fights with the pressure, I think he will be a great teacher for Joshua because he does need to learn how to apply the pressure, he’s most dangerous when he applies that pressure.
“That’s why I think it will be the right fit. If I knew he was considering James in the beginning I would have told him straight away James will be a good fit.”
Joshua split with Rob McCracken after his first loss to Oleksandr Usyk, 36, in September 2021.
And he hired American Robert Garcia for the Saudi Arabia rematch 11 months later.
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But again AJ was beaten and forced to go back to the drawing board, which meant Garcia was also let go.
Jones, who currently coaches Chris Eubank Jr, 33, offered his services, but never heard back.
He said: “We had had a couple of conversations about him coming to Brighton to trial me with, to see if we had any chemistry but we did not get to that stage, he did not come to Brighton. 
“He went to the United States and met with Derrick James first before we had a chance to get together.
“I feel if you have the chemistry and the right connection there’s no point in going back and forth, trying out different trainers.
“I texted him a message as I heard he’d been in America with James and just said maybe it’s good to stick with James if there’s chemistry as I do not want to make it harder for you to make a decision, going back and forth. 
“He did not get back to me but I wish him all the best.”
Errol Spence Jr with his coach Derrick JamesCredit: Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions More

TYSON FURY could receive a lion’s share fee if his fight with Oleksandr Usyk lands at Wembley and not in Saudi Arabia. The pair of unbeaten champions are in talks for the heavyweight division’s first four-belt unification bout.
Tyson Fury with his US promoter Bob ArumCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Oleksandr Usyk is in talks to fight Tyson FuryCredit: EPA
And the Middle East emerged as a frontrunner to host with Saudi bosses ready to throw vast sums at the undisputed decider.
But Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum warned attention will switch to London if the lucrative deal is not tabled.
Arum told BoxingScene: “Everybody agreed that if [Saudi Arabia’s] offer comes through and it’s real, that’s how we’ll go.
“If not, we’ll do the fight at Wembley.”
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Usyk, 36, beat Anthony Joshua, 33, twice to win and retain the WBA, IBF and WBO titles.
And he travelled to Tottenham in December to watch Fury, 34, defend his WBC belt against Derek Chisora, 38, in ten one-sided rounds.
He filled out almost 60,000 seats, taking his ticket sales to over 150,000 in 2022 after knocking out Dillian Whyte, 34, at Wembley last April.
And Arum argues if the super-fight against Usyk is taken to England, Fury should be rewarded for his box office appeal.
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He said: “The fighters have agreed to fight.
“I spoke to Frank Warren. We’re giving them until [this] week to come with their offer, which I believe we’ll get.
“If we don’t, then we’re gonna do the fight at Wembley. And then we’d have to talk about the percentages because Usyk wants 50-50.
“That’s not right if the fight’s at Wembley because there will be 95,000 Brits at the fight and big Brit pay-per-view money, so Tyson deserves the lion’s share.
“But we don’t get to that point if the [investors in Saudi Arabia] come through, because the way they operate is they make deals with each of the fighters.
“We’ve been led to believe that they’re going to come with a proposal [this] week.
“I’ll believe it when I see it, but it’s not like they haven’t come through in the past.”
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk squaring up in DecemberCredit: REUTERS More